Improvement in wood fences



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'WILLIAM RILEY, OF MADISON COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI.

IMPROVEMENT IN WOOD FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,723, dated April B, 1873; application tiled December 30, 1872. y

To all whom t may concern: Be it known that I, WILLIAM RILEY, of the county of Madison and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and the letters of reference marked thereon making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side view. Fig 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is an end view of the standards and battens. Fig. 4 is an end view of the brace-rods or bars.

The object of my improvement is to provide a field-fence which is cheap, durable, and simple to build, and in the construction of which base-boards, bed-plates, anchor-blocks, &o., to secure and add permanency to the same, are all dispensed with, and which, consequently, permits of the fence being erected at a great saving of labor and expense, and, at the same time, furnishes an equally-permanent fence, and one especially adapted for wet and low grounds.

The nature of my invention consists in bracing the fence and locking the rails in position between the posts or standards by diagonal brace-ties embedded and secured in the ground at their base, and bolted together near their upper section, so as to leave forked heads on each set of rods. These diagonal brace-ties are so arranged that the angle of their bearing shall be immediately on the surface of what is ordinarily the upper rail ofthe fence, and at such sections of the same as the rails meet or overlap each other.

My invention further consists in securing the diagonal brace-rods together by horizontal cross-rails resting and secured in the forked head of the diagonal supports.

The construction and operation of my invention are as follows: In the several gures A represents the surface of the ground. B B are the posts or standards, which are constructed in the usual manner and out of any suitable material. These posts or standards B B rest directly on the ground, as shown at b b, Figs.1,2, and 3; or a block may be placed under these posts, as shown at a a, Fig. I. These blocks a a in no manner enter into the construction of the fence, but are simply used when employed to protect the posts from rotting through the moisture of the ground.v

C C are the rails, which are of the ordinary form and constructed of any suitable material. These rails meet and overlap each other between the posts B B, and are held in fixed positions by battens c c, the top rails resting and overlapping each other on the upper batten c of the posts. D D are diagonal bracerods or bars, and are secured and embedded in the ground at their base. These rods or bars D D cross each other at an angle near their upper sections, leaving a forked head, D', and are permanently secured together by a bolt or pin, d, the angle of their bearing resting on the top rail of the fence and securely retaining the top rails at the point they overlap each other on the upper batten c of the posts. Resting and permanently secured in the forked heads Dl D of the brace-rods D DI are horizontal cross-rails E E. Thus the fence is held in a permanent and true position, and prevented from giving or leaning in either direction simply through the diagonal brace-rods D D and the horizon tal tie-rails E E. 4

It will be perceived that unity, co-operation, and mutual support are manifest in all the features recited as forming parts of this fence to render it self-sustaining and durable.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The posts B B, battens c c, rails G C, diagonal brace-rods D D, and horizontal cross-tie rails E E, so combined and arranged as to form a fence without bed-plates, anchor-blocks, or any other equivalent device.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name tothis specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. t WILLIAM RILEY. Witnesses:

ELIJAH FLEMING, D. MCGUIRE. 

